INFO / links & info:

www

Sachi Amma and Jain Kim win the Lead World Cup 2013

Jain Kim from Korea and Sachi Amma from Japan won the overall Lead World Cup which concluded in Kranj, Slovenia on 17 November 2013. The final stage was won by Jakob Schubert and Momoka Oda.

The Lead World Cup 2013 came to an end last Sunday in Slovenia's Kranj and, after eight stages, the Cup was won by Sachi Amma and Jain Kim. The Japanese repeated last year's success thanks to his run of 3 victories, two 2nd places, one 3rd and 6th place, while closest rival Jakob Schubert, despite winning in Kranj, finished 37 points behind in the final ranking. In addition to this silver medal, the Austrian could console himself with taking gold in the Combined Overall World Cup 2013 that takes into account Lead, Speed, Boulder disciplines. In truth, Amma had already won the Cup before the final round as the points earned from his successful qualification in the Semifinal already netted him mathematical victory. Schubert though wanted to prove his worth and, in clinching victory at Kranj, managed to beat Adam Ondra whose return to competitions - and immediate victory in Valence - marks an interesting end to 2013 as he will no doubt be an important force next season. Third in Kranj was 32 year-old Spaniard Ramón Julian Puigblanque who rounded off the season with a great bronze medal.

Jain Kim, just like Amma, celebrated her second overall World Cup victory in Kranj after having won in 2010 thanks to her extraordinary run of four victories, two 2nd places, one 3rd place and - worst result this season, one 4th place right here in Kranj. A priceless fourth place though, that enabled her to beat closest rival and home athlete Mina Markovic. The Slovenian had an amazing season, too, and her run is worth remembering, too: three victories, four 2nd places and one 3rd place. After eight competitions the two were separated by a mere 20 point and it is difficult, indeed almost impossible, to conceive them doing any better! Having said that, those who managed to beat the unbeatable duo were Japanes Momoka Oda and Akyio Noguchi who in Kranj finally managed to oust Kim and Markovic. In doing so 19-year-old Oda celebrated her first ever stage victory in the senior competitions and also won bronze this season.